Electric switch and operating mechanism therefor



Oct. 17, 1933.

J. D. WOOD ELECTRIC SWITCH AND OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFOR LN. 2 1 .1 38 3 23 6 i u 93 3e Original Filed April 24', 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 17, 1933. J. D. wooD 1,930,962

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFOR Original Filed April 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 I Q. M

Patented Oct. 17, 1933 p fnssonsz I a ELECTRIC swrrcn' AND OPERATING MECHANXSM rrrmanroa Joseph 1). Woe-d, Insane-hem, 1 5., 'a'ssignor to .Condit Electrical Manufacturing Corporation,

South Boston, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Original application April .24, 1928, Serial No.

272,532, now Patent No. 8, 1931. Divided and this 24,1929. Serial No. 334,809

Claims. (01. 200-89):

This invention relates to electric switches and switch operating mechanisms therefor and particularly to power operated switches; One'ot the objects of the present invention is 1; animproved form of mechanism which connects the switch actuating member with theswitch operating mechanism and permits the switch to be operatively disconnected from the actuating member {and to .move into open position indee 1w, pendently of a corresponding movement of said member.

A'further object of the present invention is the provision' of-an :electric switch and actuating mechanism therefor having means including a togglethat connects an actuating member with the-switch mechanism and latching mechanism for permitting ,thetoggle to be broken during switchppening movement and for holding the toggle against .breaking during switch closing movement.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a switch and switch actuating mechanism including an actuatinghandle which is adapted to'bereleasably locked inswitch closed position,

and mechanism so arranged. as to permit the movement of the handle and subsequently to unlock the handle and permit-it to move independently into switch open position.

A yet further object-of the invention isgen- .erally to'improve the construction and operation of'electric switches and operating mechanisms therefor. W c j This application is a division of my copendingapplication Serial No. 272,532, filed April 24, ,j 1928, now Patent No. 1,825,738, datedDec. 8,

-li'ig.l is a side elevation of a power operated switch embodying the invention. t 40, .-:1 ;'-Fig.' 2'is an enlarged detail, in side elevation,

of the actuating mechanism of the switch.

-,-:Fig.-'3 is a: front-elevation of' the mechanism of F.ig.':'2.- I w. *-'-Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cam plates and latch of the actuating mechanism,

1---Fig.'5 is a perspective view of the actuating mechanism.

*Fig; 6 is a detail view in side elevation of the actuating mechanism of Fig.6 in partly switch -open position and just prior to the release of the actuating handler Er Fig; 7 'is a'view similar to Fig. 6 but with the Y actuating "mechanism and actuating handle in 1 full switch open position and with the mechanism' ilocked for reclosingw switch to open independently of corresponding 1,825,738, December application January Fig.8 is a perspective view of the latch trip ping frar'nep I y 11,-; The'invention here shown; is applied to a bracket-mounted electric switch 510 pith? oil im mersed type having the ,fixed terminals -;12 ;2 .nd the movable switch member l l Saidi 1novable switch rmemberlis raised-to and lowered from bridging relation with: the fixed switch terminals by operating; mechanism including; the pivoted lever lfiwhichfis operlated by a tog gle:l8. "As here shown, the actuating mechanismtutor the switch hasits component,;pa,rts,;mounted upon a frame. consisting; of abase platefll), and a vertical backplate 22'. '1. The actuating member for the switch. includes aibifurcated. switch handle 24--whichi is-logated in front of, the backplate 22- and is attachedto a hub ;;2,5 ;which is fixed -on;a rod 26 journalled in lugs 28 which project. forwardly of theback plate .22. ,Said hub has a depending eanBQlWhiCh iS 7 connected to one end-of atten sile spring; 2,; the other end of which 'is "connected; to the; back plate. The arrangement of the spring is as to, causethe, handle to swing into a switch switch isaopened and the handle is, releasedzi;

The normal \or. switch closed; position iof .the handle is.;,upright as-shown, in;Fig.' 1-.and,the handle is. releasably ,latched in',such ,pqsition whenthe switch is closed. Tothis end, 1a,;latch open position, illustrated ,in Fig. 7, when the so frame 33 is: pivoted at. its rear. :end. 011 841111 3 4 carried by a forwardly projectinglug 13.6; of; the

housing 37ofthe back plate. saidglaliehilframe has a latching. roller. 38 that norma1ly finga8es a latchAO' carried. by the switchhandlethereby to .hold the switch handle releasablyjn:upright 1 position. The actuating mechanism; is ,so=;.ar ranged that when the switch, handle ,jS locked in the ,above described position; theiswitch locked in closed position. I .-t; :3. The switch here shownisadapted-to be closed by power.mechanism'containedin .alframe: 41

disposed beneath the switchhandle andcorn- 'nected thereto by. means including. a toggle. 41a.

The :closing mechanismmis; rdescribedand claimed in my original application and -forms my no part of the present inventionq-y l The, "present, invention .is equally applicable to power operated closing mechanismv ior; ,to1;-.a

manually closedswitch and when/the r'switch I is adaptedrfor manual closing solely,fthe toggle-41a a; i

will not .be connected to the switch handle it; The switch handle, is connected ,tQ ,th operating mechanism .of the switch by means geon- .stituting a toggle.mechanism.; Tothisrend'the switch handle is provided with a'pa'ir of rearwardly extended-short links 42 which are pivoted in spaced relation on a pin 44 carried by the switch handle and constitute members of a toggle. The rear ends of said links are connected, by a pin 46, with a pair of rearwardly extended long switch rods 48 which extend through an opening in the back plate 22 and are pivotally connected with the toggle 18 of the switch operating mechanism.

Latch controlling mechanism is provided to prevent the toggle comprising the links 42, 48 from breaking and also to permit it to break. Said mechanism includes a'pair of spaced cam plates 50 which are disposed above said toggle and are pivoted at their rear ends on a pin 52 carried by the back plate. Said cam platesextend forwardly over the path of movement of the toggle joint and are provided with lower arcuate faces 54 which are struck about a center coincident with the turning axis of -the switch handle. Said cam plates control the collapsing of the toggle 42, 48 and to this end the arcuate faces '54 thereof are arranged for rolling engagement with rollers 56 journalled on the toggle pin 46. Since toggle 42, 48 tends to break or collapse in an upward direction, it is apparent that when said cam plates 50 are held in the position shown in Fig. 2 they will prevent such breaking of. the toggle. When, however, the lock on-the cam plates is released, the action of the switch mechanism is such as to collapse the toggle, the cam plates rising to an elevated pof sition as shown in Fig. 6.

The cam plates are held releasingly in toggle restraining position by a latch member 58 which is pivoted on a pin 60 carried by the face plate, and has a notch 62 in which the latch roller 64 of the cam plates is received. The latch is arranged by its weight to remain in normal latching engagement with the cam plates thereby to hold them latched in their lowermost position as shown in Fig. 2 but when the latch is raised,

: the plates will be released.

The latch is provided with a rearwardly extended depending arm 66 the weight of which serves to maintain the latch in releasable engagement with the cam plates 50 and also constitutes a tripping arm for the latch. Said arm 66 isdisposed above a tripping frame 68, see especially Fig. 8, which is pivoted at the rear thereof on a pin '70 carriedby the back plate 22. Said tripping plate is disposed above the usual I electro-magnetically raised tripping pins '72 of the face plate, one of which pins is here shown in Fig. 2, and is adapted to be raised by any one or all three of said pins into engagement with the arm 66 of the latch whereby to trip the latch. The tripping frame 68 can also be operated manually by means of a bell crank lever 74 which is pivoted on the pin 70 and is adapted to be rotated in a counter clockwise direction into engagement with the frame. The lower arm of said bell crank lever is pivotally' connected with a rod 76 that terminates in a knob '78 located in front of the face plate. By pulling the knob forwardly the bell crank lever can be operated to raise the tripping frame and trip the latch.

After the latch 58 has been tripped and when the switch is in the last part of its opening movement, it is desirable to release the latch on the actuating handle 24, whereby to permit it to swing outwardly into switch open position as shown in Fig. '7. To this end, the latch frame 33 is provided with a depending arm 80, the lower end of'which is disposed close to one of the operating rods 48. Said rod carriesza pin 82 which projects laterally therefrom andis arranged during the latter part of the switch opening movement to engage said depending arm 80 and consequently raise the tripping frame whereby to release the handle, which handle will thereupon move outwardly and downwardly by its weight and also by the action of the spring 32.

The switch closed position of the actuating mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 2.

The operation of the mechanism is essentially as follows:

When the latch frame 68 is raised either by an electrically actuated tripping pin 64 or by the manual tripping mechanism, the toggle holding cam plates 50 are released. The weight of the switch acting on the toggle 42, 48 is such as to collapse it and the toggle thereupon moves into some intermediate position as shown in Fig. 6 wherein the short toggle links 42 are momentarily in a generally vertical position.

During the latter part of the opening movement of the operating rods 48, the pin 82 thereof engages the arm of the tripping frame 32 and releases the operating handle which then moves into a full switch openposition as shown in Fig. 7. In this position, the toggle 42, 48 has become straigi tened into about its normal position as illustrated in Fig. 2. Since the latch 58 is held up but momentarily it will be' released by the time the switch is fully opened and thus will again engage the cam plates 50, as illustrated in Fig. 'l, and will hold them against upward movement. Thus, when the switch handle 24 is moved inwardly .to close the switch, the cam plates will prevent the toggle from collapsing and the switch will thus be closed, the latch frame 33 looking the handle in upright position and the switch in closed position.

I claim:

.1. Switch operating mechanism including a pivoted vertical handle, a horizontally movable switch operating rod, 2. collapsible toggle connection between said rod and handle, means including a cam member which releasably holds said toggle set, means to release said cam member and permit the breaking of said toggle, a pivoted latch arranged to hold said handle releasably in switch closed position, said operating rod having a projection and said latch having a projection adapted to be engaged and operated by said rodprojection, whereby to trip said latch and release said handle subsequent the release of said cam member.

2. Switch operating mechanism including a switch actuating member including a pivoted handle, a switch operating member, a link the oppositeends of which are pivoted on said handle and operating member, respectively, said operating member and link constituting a toggle connection with said handle, a latch which holds said handle releasably in switch closed position,

and latching mechanism controlling the collapse collapse ofsaid toggle'to tripsaid latching means to permit. the; independent opening movement 9f,saidiactuatinginember.

,4. sv'v'itch operating vmechanism including the coinbin'ationlof a" meei iate, vertical, switch ,actuatihgfhandle ,pivoted "to said plate, a horifzontal-lmovable' switch operatingirodhaving'a Lao inset condition thereby, means releasably holdlilijk whichjis pivoted. on said r021 andalsdo said handle and'const'itutes" a" toggle connection with said'handle, awroller on the pivoted connection between said rod and link, a toggle controlling cam-member pivoted to said face plate and extending forwardly therefrom over the entire path of 'movement of said toggle and having a lower arcuate face which is engaged by said roller to hold the toggle set, and latch mechanism for holding said cam-member releasably in a position which prevents the collapse of said toggle, said toggle being movable between'switch open and switch closed positions with itsrolls' in engage ment with the arcuate face of said cam-member. 5. Switch operating mechanism including the combination of a face plate, a switch actuating member pivoted to said plate, a-switch operating rod having a toggle connection with said actuating member, a toggle-controlling cammember pivoted to said face plate and extended forwardly therefrom over the entire path of movement of and traversed by said toggle, and latch mechanism for holding said cam-member releasably in a position which prevents the collapse of said toggle during such movement thereof, said set toggle being movable between switch open and switch closed positions in engagement with said latched cam-member and being held ing said actuating member in switch closed position, and means actuated by the opening movement of said switch operating rod to release the holding means for said actuating member.

6. Switch operating mechanism including a face plate, an actuating handle'pivoted to said face plate and upstanding in front thereof, an operating rod extended through said faceplate, a pair of toggle links pivoted to said actuating handle and to said rod, said links and rod constituting a collapsible toggle, rollers carried by said links and rod at the pivotal connection therebetween, a pair of connectedcam plates piv-, oted at their rear ends to said face plate and extended forwardly therefrom and overlying the path of movement of said toggle, said cam plates having lower arcuate faceswhich are engaged by said rollers, and a latch located between said cam plates for releasably holding them in a position to prevent the collapsing of said toggle, said rollers being engageable with the cam faces of said cam plates during movement of the toggle between switch open and switch closed positions, whereby to prevent the collapse of the toggle.

'7. Switch operating mechanism including a face plate, an actuating handle pivoted to said face plate and upstanding in front thereof, an operat ing rod extended through said face plate, a pair of toggle links pivoted to said actuating handle and tolsaid rod, said links and rod constituting va collapsible toggle, rollers'carried by said links and rod at the pivotal connection therebetween,

a pair'of connected camplates pivoted at their m vement of" aid,. t1 )gele;saidfcam plat' g lower arcua'te faces Which-a e a ed rollers fand a latch fjlo cated between 5 m.

plates ,for releasably "holding th miin' a osit n to prevent" the collapsing of sa d tog rollers beingenga'geabIe with thecam facespf 'saidcam plates during movement or the tbggie between switch open and s witch" closed positions,

a latch for holding said actuating {member iea sablyin switch cIQSed Ositi mnavins a p. J'ejction. which is adapted to bejengaged b,

for, said'ffsjwitchl operating rod jduiing its ementjto switch openposition, whereby "to is lease jsaid actuating member and permit it to move to switch open position.

8. Switch operating mechanism comprising a face plate, an actuating handle pivoted at its lower end to said face plate and extended norv mally'vertically in front thereof, a switch actuating member comprising a pair of horizontally disposed rods which extend through saidface plate and terminate in confronting relation with said engaged by said rolls during the switch closing movement of said toggle, a latch member located between said plates having a releasable'engagement therewith which holds said plates in toggle holding position, whereby said plates hold said toggle in straightened condition during switch closing movement of said handle and rods, and means fortripping said latch and releasing said plates, thereby permitting said togglelto collapse and said rods to move in a switch opening direction.,,

9.'Sw itch operating mechanism comprising a face plate, an actuating handle pivoted at its lower end to said face plate and extended normally vertically in front thereof, a switch actuatdisposed rods'which extend through said face said handle, a pair of links which are pivoted at their outer ends to said handle andat theirinner ends to said rods, rolls on the pivotal connections 'plate and'terminate in confronting relation with between said links and rods, said links and rods constituting a switch closing toggle, mechanism for controlling the condition of said toggle comprising a'pair of spaced and conjointly movable said face plate above said rods and extend forwardly thereabove and above said rolls, said plates having lower cam faces that are adapted located between saidplates having a releasable engagement therewith which holds said plates in toggleholding position, whereby said plates hold said toggle in straightened condition during means for tripping said latch and releasing said 145 switch closing movement of said handle and rods,

plates, thereby permitting said toggle to collapse 125 ing member comprising a pair of horizontally 35 cam plates which havepivotal' connections'with ably in switch closed position having an extension which is engaged and moved by the movement of said rods in a switch opening direction following the collapse of said toggle whereby to pemiit said handle to move into a switch open position and efiect the straightening of said toggle following the switch opening movement of said rods. 7

10. Switch operating mechanism comprising a normally vertical switch actuating lever which has a pivotal support for its lower end, a switch operating member having a toggle connection with'said actuating lever, latching means which engages said lever and holds it normally in switch closed position, a pivoted cam plate which overlies said toggle and is adapted to hold said toggle in straightened position during movement thereof in a switch closing direction, means including a latch which holds said cam plate normally in position to be engaged by said toggle and restrains-said toggle from collapse, tripping means for said latch which releases said cam plate and effects the collapse of said toggle and the switch opening movement of said operating member, and means which trips said latching means following the collpase of said toggle and effects the movement of said lever into a switch opening position and the automatic straightening of said toggle.

JOSEPH D. WOOD. 

